Is it safe to use one of these agents to get you a new Uk passport, I'm not well enough to travel to Bangkok to submit then travel back to Bangkok to pick it up.

Worried about being scammed, or does someone know a 100% honest and trustworthy agent, I'm in Phuket.

Maybe you can do in Phuket? See the link below

https://visa.vfsglobal.com/tha/en/gbr/attend-centre/phuket

VFS Global in Phuket provides visa application services, including biometrics, for countries like the UK, Germany, Australia, and Italy. The primary, fully equipped location is at the CCM Complex, Ratsada, with some services available via the Phuket Post Office. Appointments are mandatory for most services, which often charge additional premium fees.

Key Locations & Services

Main VFS Application Centre: CCM Complex Building, 77/77 Moo 5, Chalerm Prakiat Rama 9 Road, Ratsada, Mueang, Phuket.

1 minute ago, Bredbury Blue said:

Maybe you can do in Phuket? See the link below

https://visa.vfsglobal.com/tha/en/gbr/attend-centre/phuket

VFS Global in Phuket provides visa application services, including biometrics, for countries like the UK, Germany, Australia, and Italy. The primary, fully equipped location is at the CCM Complex, Ratsada, with some services available via the Phuket Post Office. Appointments are mandatory for most services, which often charge additional premium fees.

Key Locations & Services

Main VFS Application Centre: CCM Complex Building, 77/77 Moo 5, Chalerm Prakiat Rama 9 Road, Ratsada, Mueang, Phuket.

⁸they do not take UK passport applications.

Friends have successfully used Mark's Sending Machine in Chiang Mai.

Everything done by post.

If you are incapacitated and cannot travel, you have options.

The key point — and this is explicitly stated in the UK government guidance — is:

You must apply in person, but if you’re unable to, someone else can go on your behalf.

This applies both to:

• Submitting the application

• Collecting the new passport

So even if you are bedridden, hospitalised, disabled, or otherwise unable to travel, your passport renewal can still proceed.

2 hours ago, MIke B Bad said:

If you are incapacitated and cannot travel, you have options.

The key point — and this is explicitly stated in the UK government guidance — is:

You must apply in person, but if you’re unable to, someone else can go on your behalf.

This applies both to:

• Submitting the application

• Collecting the new passport

So even if you are bedridden, hospitalised, disabled, or otherwise unable to travel, your passport renewal can still proceed.

Poor wording by Gov. UK.

ANYONE can appoint a third party to submit the application, and to collect the new passport.

2 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

Poor wording by Gov. UK.

ANYONE can appoint a third party to submit the application, and to collect the new passport.

I guess intentional rather than poor.

Plenty in Pattaya do UK passports renewal, I'm Oz and struggling to find one experienced with Aus Embassy do. s n don'ts tho, approx 18K baht is the cost.

1 hour ago, MIke B Bad said:

I guess intentional rather than poor.

I would still be inclined to say that "You must apply in person" is poorly worded.

You can appoint anyone to act for you - you don't need to evidence a reason.

1 hour ago, Olmate said:

Plenty in Pattaya do UK passports renewal, I'm Oz and struggling to find one experienced with Aus Embassy do. s n don'ts tho, approx 18K baht is the cost.

Although this thread is about British passports I note that the cost is AUD611 (<14k THB) to renew an Oz passport overseas.

Fees on top if you need to use an agent.,

13 hours ago, Olmate said:

Plenty in Pattaya do UK passports renewal, I'm Oz and struggling to find one experienced with Aus Embassy do. s n don'ts tho, approx 18K baht is the cost.

Now you can do it online, do you really need an agent?

11 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

Although this thread is about British passports I note that the cost is AUD611 (<14k THB) to renew an Oz passport overseas.

Fees on top if you need to use an agent.,

The Oz passport is outrageously overpriced.

They also include an overseas surchage.

20 minutes ago, Will27 said:

The Oz passport is outrageously overpriced.

They also include an overseas surchage.

So right, cost of agent 2/3 K extra seems quite fair, also photo is extra finicky, payment if you don't use credit card, online verification or address for mailing. Travel costs to Embassy etc.. I have these problems so leaning to agent.

29 minutes ago, Will27 said:

Now you can do it online, do you really need an agent?

Thanks mate, see reply above. 👍

4 minutes ago, Olmate said:

So right, cost of agent 2/3 K extra seems quite fair, also photo is extra finicky, payment if you don't use credit card, online verification or address for mailing. Travel costs to Embassy etc.. I have these problems so leaning to agent.

Fair enough.

The credit card payment seems to be the biggest issue.

You have to get the photo take regardless and no trip to the Embassy is required.

15 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

I would still be inclined to say that "You must apply in person" is poorly worded.

You can appoint anyone to act for you - you don't need to evidence a reason.

For a 3rd party to COLLECT the applicant's passport on behalfof the applicant, the applicant has to provide a letter of authorisation for the 3rd party to present to VFS to collect.

I'm not sure, but I would imagine similar would apply to an APPLICATION, possibly with the letter stating reason/s why applicant can't apply in person.

Check with VFS for their exact requirements.

48 minutes ago, Bredbury Blue said:

For a 3rd party to COLLECT the applicant's passport on behalfof the applicant, the applicant has to provide a letter of authorisation for the 3rd party to present to VFS to collect.

I'm not sure, but I would imagine similar would apply to an APPLICATION, possibly with the letter stating reason/s why applicant can't apply in person.

Check with VFS for their exact requirements.

Rather than guess I can tell you, because I submitted one last week.

The standard authority for VfS is attached......it only refers to collection. The staff were not interested in seeing anything for the submission of the application.......they probably thought I was the applicant.

4 hours ago, Will27 said:

Fair enough.

The credit card payment seems to be the biggest issue.

You have to get the photo take regardless and no trip to the Embassy is required.

Thai debit card works (not bkb obviously) they took 6,333bht for mine a week or two back (ttb).

5 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

Rather than guess I can tell you, because I submitted one last week.

The standard authority for VfS is attached......it only refers to collection. The staff were not interested in seeing anything for the submission of the application.......they probably thought I was the applicant.

5 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

Rather than guess I can tell you, because I submitted one last week.

The standard authority for VfS is attached......it only refers to collection. The staff were not interested in seeing anything for the submission of the application.......they probably thought I was the applicant.

5 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

Rather than guess I can tell you, because I submitted one last week.

The standard authority for VfS is attached......it only refers to collection. The staff were not interested in seeing anything for the submission of the application.......they probably thought I was the applicant.

Thanks, I was preparing my son's letter of authorisation for me to collect his renewal passport, and I'll incorporate in to it some of the language from the standard VFS letter.

On 4/9/2026 at 7:19 AM, Will27 said:

Now you can do it online

If only that particular option were also available to us Brits here in LOS, just as it is back in Blighty!😒

On 4/9/2026 at 7:54 AM, Will27 said:

You have to get the photo take regardless

Yep, regardless of your home country you seem to be left entirely to your own devices on this even if you do use an agent. In addition, detailed photo requirements vary significantly from country to country. So much for passports being produced on the basis of international standards, as is claimed by HM Passport Office back in the UK, I think!